I usually use about 3 categories in a class, because I like to only spend about 15 to 20 minutes on each activity (remembering the attention spans of 15 year olds....). Past categories have included CITIES, COUNTRIES, RESPONSES, NAME THREE, WHAT'S NEXT and so on. There are 5 questions under each heading, with 10 to 50 points assigned. Naturally the hardest question is worth 50 points. Students ask "I'll take a city for 20 points, please." and the first student (in some classes first team) to answer correctly asks the next question. I have not yet bothered with how they state their answer, nor have I bothered to subtract points for incorrect responses... but I expect that as the students are more comfortable with the game, I will add those factors in, to keep it new and interesting.

This is a game I use primarily as a listening exercise... you will find that the student with the best listening skills generally gets their hand up first. So, I try to throw in easy questions in order to lure the other students to answer.

Name 3 examples: Name 3 flowers, Name 3 cities in Canada What's Next: lmn_ , 3 6 9 __ , july, august, september... Cities: Where is the Eiffel Tower? What is the capital of Mexico? Where am I from? (I really tricked them when I used "Where is the leaning tower of Pisa?") Countries: Bangkok is the largest city in what country? What country hosted the 1988 Olympic Games? Responses: Achoo (Bless you) Here you are (Thank you) and the very phrase they are studying that week for example, "Let's not got there." (Why not?)

I'm sure you get the idea. It can be varied in a million ways, I am convinced that it's good for the students, and I know that they enjoy doing it. Also, we need more games and activities posted out here for kids who are too old for little kid things and too young for adult stuff and their English isn't that great yet... you know what I mean?

So, any other middle school age and ability teachers, please post your brilliant ideas!